


Someone's in the Kitchen With Bozer

by tomorrowsjustadreamaway



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:33:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26850709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomorrowsjustadreamaway/pseuds/tomorrowsjustadreamaway
Summary: Mac can't cook. He can bake, since it's all chemistry. Bozer has noticed the real chemistry is between his two best friends. Riley isn't much of a chef either. So, 00 Boze is here to give them some lessons in cooking... and love.
Relationships: Riley Davis & Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Riley Davis/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Another short fic in the works! I realize this is a quick chapter that more or less is just setting it up, but I wanted to get it out there for ya'll. Thank you to Oz and Candice for the idea!
> 
> This takes place after the events of 4x13.

It took long enough, but a few months after the whole Codex incident, things around the Phoenix had begun to feel normal again. Although trust wasn't still fully there with some, the original trio of Mac, Riley, and Bozer remained invincible. With Desi and Mac finally admitting to the demise of their relationship for good, it allowed him more time to catch up with both his friends. The two that had been by his side through it all. Riley, especially. Still, he couldn't discount Bozer; if it weren't for his warning, he and Riley would have been toast.

Riley had tried to find a place of her own shortly after, but Mac had convinced her to stay. He had told Desi the truth about their complicated feelings; that no matter how much he tried to make their atypical relationship work, it wouldn't. Ever. It needed to be said; anyone around the pair sensed the animosity there. The desperate need to not be alone. But they both deserved better. Someone that suited their needs and would make them happy.

Mac tried not to linger on that thought. Many times he had to remind himself that relationships wouldn't prevail in their line of work. Like Riley had said– it screwed them up. But then there was… Riley. His rock. His other half. Mac wasn't blind. From the moment he met her, he knew there was something special about Riley Davis. She was intelligent, beautiful… charismatic. She checked all of the boxes. However, Mac had mostly given up relationships after Nikki. It didn't help that Bozer had been in love with Riley for a long time.

Still, he couldn't get the sensation of her hand in his out of his mind. How soft her skin was. How her smile made the whole damn universe light up. He could go on forever, really. It was starting to become scary how dependent he was on her being in his life. Maybe beyond Jack levels. Except fluttery and maybe something more than just platonic.

The two-some were divided between pizza or Chinese take-out for dinner when Bozer came strolling into their place like he lived there. He _had_ for years anyway. Mac and Riley had agreed to have a movie marathon and were letting Bozer choose what they were to watch. He was the movie expert, after all.

"Hey Boze," Mac greeted warmly as he offered his best friend a pat on the back. "Riley and I are trying to choose where to order dinner from. Are you in the mood for Chinese or Italian?"

Normally Bozer would have gone for either, but he already had a plan in mind when he'd set up this little movie night a week ago. It was (self-titled) _Operation: Push Mac and Riley Together_. He'd tried to come up with a fancier name– something more 00 Boze-esque, but failed. He knew how Riley felt about Mac, and even if his friend was in denial about the same very thing, Bozer _knew_ better. He just needed to make Mac open his eyes a little.

"Neither," he insisted, shaking his head. "We're not doing greasy junk tonight. This is a _classy_ movie night." Riley followed up with a taunting eye-roll. "Which means we're gonna do some cooking first. Get the atmosphere going. I love you both, but you two can't survive on take-out all the time."

Mac could bake, but that was about it. All other cooking projects usually resulted in a fire. Literally. Riley was a _little_ better, but mostly just with simple things like grilled cheese. Though both were tempted to protest, Mac and Riley agreed with a reluctant sigh.

"One of these days you may be prime to learn how I make my Christmas pastrami," Bozer pointed out proudly, his gaze staring off in the distance for a moment. He may or may not have been daydreaming about that savory taste. "But, baby steps. Tonight we'll go with something easy like… spaghetti." Was it bad he was already envisioning making them do the _Lady and the Tramp_ sharing the whole pasta thing trick? "And no, I **_don't_** mean _Spaghetti-o's_."

He heard a huff of laughter escape Riley, while Mac's noise was more of a grunt. They were known to keep those in the cupboard as an easy go to.

"Mac, hide the fire extinguisher. We aren't going to need it tonight."

Panic rose in both his blue eyes and Riley's hazel ones. They had faith in Bozer, but even so.

"Riley, get yourself an apron. And grab one for Mac too. This is about to get messy."


	2. Now We're Cooking

He really was cooking up a scheme. _Literally_. Since it was Bozer's turn to select the movies for the evening, he'd already been whirring through his classic love story options. Neither Mac or Riley would have a choice in the matter. First though, came dinner. As his friends did what they were told, Bozer laughed jubilantly. Riley was swimming in her apron.

"That's not gonna protect your clothes from anything," Bozer pointed out, which earned a lighthearted snarl from Riley. Although she could probably just as easily tie it more snug around her figure, that was an opportunity for him to throw the couple to be together. "Mac, help her out and tie that thing tighter," Bozer directed as he prepared a pot on the stove-top with water and salt to get it boiling.

Bozer tried not to watch the pair directly, but his peripheral vision was on par. Riley was glaring daggers in his direction, her cheeks tinged with pink as Mac shuffled behind her. 'Damn,' Bozer thought to himself. She was on to him. Even so, he noticed the tender tentativeness at which Mac untied the back of her apron– almost like he was imagining that it was something else. Bozer continued fiddling with the ingredients to give them a little privacy.

Mac knew that Riley's skin always looked as if it felt like silk, but as he began to bring together the strings of her apron to cinch them tighter, his fingers accidentally brushed along the patch of skin that was exposed between the top of her jeans and the button of her shirt. Whether it was an accident or not was questionable, but Mac tried not to think on it too much. Even when he noticed the way she ever so slightly shivered at his touch. Was it terrible that he wanted to do it again? To make an excuse that the apron still wasn't tight enough?

The smell of her shampoo filled his nostrils and Mac had to keep himself from leaning in to relish the scent again. It would make it too tempting to wrap her into a hug from behind and bury his face in the warm crook of her neck. Lately, Mac had found himself wanting to do that more often. But he didn't want to push Riley away or scare her. He and Desi had been a disaster, and although he knew Riley was utterly different in _every_ way, he worried about ruining what they had between them. He was so dependent on her that it was kind of sad.

"I think that's better," Mac murmured, his breath hot on Riley's neck and making goosebumps arise across her flesh. She really, _really_ hoped he hadn't noticed that. Or the way she shuddered at his digits barely gliding along her spine. It wasn't like was intentionally touching her. At least _she_ didn't think so. She tried to convince herself otherwise; to protect her heart. Every time she did though, she remembered him grabbing her hand when they were almost blown up together, and she wondered - did he feel it too? The spark?

Riley nodded softly, hoping he couldn't see from behind the flush protruding her cheeks. "It feels good," she responded a bit breathlessly, only realizing that it sounded like she was implying this closeness - the physicality between them - rather than the fit of the apron. And she probably was, though she hadn't meant to say it aloud.

Mac returned beside her, flashing the grin that she'd noticed seemed to mostly be reserved for her. There was a knowing sparkle in his blue eyes, like he had indeed picked up on what she meant, but that he wasn't hating the idea. This made her heart all hopeful and her stomach aflutter. Holding his gaze with hazel eyes, it was Bozer interrupting them that finally drew her attention away from her friend. The one she was falling in love with.

"Okay lovebirds," Bozer piped up with a saucy grin. C'mere." Riley and Mac approached Bozer on each side to stare at the pot of boiling noodles. Both their cheeks were now red, but neither denied the implied nickname.

"Am I missing something?" Mac asked, his eyebrows furrowing together. "It's just boiling water."

"With salt," Riley chimed in.

"Corrrrrect!" Bozer retorted, chiding them as if they were children. "So now you put the noodles in. Break them apart if you have to. This pot is big enough that it's not necessary though. So ya'll go for it."

Bozer watched as Mac and Riley both reached for the package simultaneously, and smiled to himself. Riley's hand let go, allowing Mac to take the reins first, but her skin was warm where his hand been.

Dumping half of the package into the water, Mac then gave the rest to Riley, his smile a little shy. She followed the same step until the plastic pasta wrapper was empty. "So now we let it cook for the amount of time it says on the package, but we have to stir it here and there. You can kind of tell once the boiling gets a little crazy."

Bozer turned down the heat a notch while his friends took turns stirring. Normally he would make the noodles and sauce all at the same time, but he was dealing with kitchen newbies here.

A sizzle of water splashed onto Riley's arm at one point, so Bozer took over. It was just the tiniest mark of pink on her wrist, but Bozer insisted Mac help her run it under cold water. It was so _not_ a two person job, but he couldn't resist.

Riley wasn't really in any pain at all, but she certainly liked Mac giving her tiny burn attention. After it cooled, he rubbed a little burn cream on the small spot, his eyes kind and soft as he asked if she was okay. It was hilarious, considering they had cheated death _so_ many times, and here they were making a big deal out of the smallest thing. She chuckled at the thought, their gazes meeting. "Good as new," Riley promised, reveling as his thumb brushed up and down her arm a few times unnecessarily. She could get used to that.

Nibbling at her lip, Mac's gaze fell directly to them, entranced. He didn't know whether to gripe at Bozer for distracting them again, or to thank him.

"Are ya'll traumatized yet or ready to get this finished? I don't know about ya'll, but I'm starving."

Both Riley and Mac nodded gently, but as his fingers fell to the small of her back to guide her toward the piping hot spaghetti, Mac let it linger. And he had a feeling Riley may not protest.

"You know, we aren't _that_ helpless," Riley quipped in return, her long lashes fluttering as she felt Mac behind her, his chin resting on her shoulder as if it was necessary to see Bozer's skills.

"Speak for yourself," he murmured playfully, drawing a chuckle from Riley. She couldn't help the way she leaned back into him, as if they did this all the time.

Bozer joined them in laughing as he made the finished touches and started to drain the noodles. "It's kind of sad that I trust you with the world and Riley with all the tech, but I gotta worry about you two burning the house down." He gave them a once over; both looked all domestic and like a real couple as they watched on. "And I'm not _just_ talking about your cooking."


End file.
